Switch



Feb. 4, 1941. v w. H; FRANK swI'rcH 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Original Filed Jan. 16, 1936' FIG. 6

BY J La iwi PM... Feb. 4,.1s4 I 2,230,428 I uni-reo- S'lA-TES PATENT OFFICE.

SWITCH William 11. Frank and Lawrence E. Fisher,

Detroit, Mich. I

Original application January 16, 1936, Serial No.

58,319, new Patent No. 2,128,999, dated September 8, 1938. Divided and this application Febru'ary 21, 1940, Serial No. 320,119

10 Claims. (01. 200-151) This application relates to'switch contact arand the slide I! are cells It closely-fitting and rerangements and more particularly it relates to ceiving the stationary contacts ll. improvements in the contact arrangements dis- H 14 closed as and forming part of the switches of a 5 P P '2. i6 0 .M 1938- This The movable contact ll of Figs. 1-4 is formed, pplication is a continuaiiioriil part 9 8 P as a trapezoidal slug to engage the tips of the llp S al 5 e y 5, 1938, stationary contacts with a butt pressure when inturn a divisional of Serial No.. 9, 7 ,fl1ed Janit bridges these Stationary contacts. For addinary i9. 193 m a n 2 99 of tional contact thereis provided and secured to 10 tember 6, 1938. the movable contact of Figs. 1-4, a U-shaped speeifi fl y. t is applica i n relat s to contact spring 38 of contact material to whose ends are arr n ement and novel details of the. a secured and integrally formed. contact tips 31. iering irom P eview! es b nd m Thespring 35 will not only function to urge the ed o produce impr v d contact 3 8 end tips of the stationary contacts ll toward each 15 br aking. other to increase the butt contact pressure be- 15 For an understanding f the improvem tween these tips andthe contact I, but in addiherein discl sed. reference should be had to the tion will urge 'thecontact tips 31 with consider-- epp nded drawings diselosilm the me- In the!!! able pressure against the stationary contacts ll drawings. so that the contacts I! will form arcing tips out- Fig. s s 8 t p e break, ip 8 side of the stationary contacts ,II to supplement face, and quadruple cell ntact arrangement in the engagement of the-movable contact it with sectional view; the tips of the stationary contacts, the propor- Figst0 4 e nal 'VieWS if n tioningof the parts being such that contacts sponding-lines of Fig 1. 31 will'make'wlth stationary contacts ll before Fix- 5 s w another .form of p e ak and break therefrom after the movable contact multip e surface contact arrangem n H makes and breaks contact.

F 6 sh w an operating arrangement the The open end of the housing of Figs. 1-4 is prowlltact Set B- M a 0! that useful, vided with supplemental portions 38 of insulation tlfe contact sets of Figs. 1-4. L: material registering with ,the terminals of the Generally speak ng. the nta t arrangements tips 31, the entire eflect being to have the movh e (11801088411 re emble thatoi' the sw tch of able housing surround the stationary contacts the aforem nti ned pate t. 'N 1.6,673. Aeclosely and with no appreciable air gaps. cordingly, it will be seen that the stationarycon- The stationary contacts of Figs. 1-4 are slotted tacts herein disclosed are mounted upon an inas at N to. receive a barrier plate member 65 sulation base ll and-are referenced I l each con- 01 insulation through which passes and to which is tact is connected to a circuit conductor by a suitaxed the contact I4 so that the housing may able bi d 90 I- r b dging the stationary have tour cells instead of two to provide many contacts thereis provided a movable contact contact breaks, with each break being in a cel member I comprising a block supported in and isolated from any other contact break. 1 40 occupyi an Op ning in a slide l'lgiormed'as part The block contact ll has its ends received in 40 or an insulation housing gener lly reierenced I. holes oi contact blocks 10 which are so disposed andadapted to be rec pr cated y e a d ball as to wipe the edges of the stationary contacts arrangement comprising a lug 2i ands; ball 22 ll, springs ll being provided for urging the surrounded by a bushing 23 and operated by a blocks 18 against such edges.

Fri

handle '24 so as to cause the movable contact 45 to bridge or-be clear of the stationary contacts. 5 t e h u H ipr atin in the directions in- In the contact set of Fig. 5, both stationary dicated by the-arrow marked "01!" and On." contacts II are slotted or split, as at 80. for re- The lug and b arrangement l-23 iorms ceiv'ing a transverse contact block member II inno part 0! thepresent invention, it being conventegrally secured to contact block member 82 which 50 .tional to use such arrangements for reciprocatslides between and engages and wipes the inside ing contact sets in switches, as indicated in a surface oi'the contacts ii for providing multiple prior patent, No. 2,139,071, of December 6, 1938. break multiple suriace' contact, with block ii The housing It is of laminated construction wiping the edges of the contacts ll at the splits 65 and includes outside portions l8 between which '0.

Relief slots 83 in both contacts it provide a springiness to them to enhance contact pressure between both contacts ii and both ends of contact 8t.

It will be seen that unlike known constructions,

, as'in Badeau Patent No. 765,6il9 of July 19, 1904i,

split contacts having flat faci surfaces, a third contact arranged and prortioned to slide rectilinearly between them and to engage their flat facing surfaces, two contact elements fixed to the third contact at its ends and arranged and proportioned to slide along the four edges of the two first mentioned contacts, an insulating plate arranged and proportioned to slide in the splits of the first mentioned contacts and fixed to the Kill third contact which passes through it, the third contact and the plate and the elements forming a. unit, and means for moving said unit relative to the first two contacts so that the third contact slides between the first two, and the contact elements slide along the edges of the first twoflconl tacts, and so that the plate slides in the split of the first two contacts.

2, A switch comprising a pair of adjacent alined contacts having .flat facing surfaces, a third contact arranged and proportioned to slide rectilinearly between them and to engage their iiat facing surfaces, two contact elements fixed to the third contact at its ends and arranged and proportioned to slide along the four edgw of the two first mentioned contacts, the third contact and the elements forming a unit, and means for moving said unit relative to the first two contacts so that the third contact slides between the first-two, and the contact elements slide along the edges of the first two contacts.

3. A switch comprising a pair of adjacent aimed split contacts having flat facing surfaces,

a third contact arranged and proportioned to slide rectilinear-131 between them' and to engage their "fiat facing surfaces, an insulation plate arranged and proportioned to slide in the splits of the first mentioned contacts and fixed to the third contact which passes through-it, the third con-' tact and the plate forming a unit, and means for moving said unit relative to the first two contacts so that the third contact slides between the first two and so that the plate slides in the split of the first'two contacts.

4, A switch comprising a pair of adjacent split contacts having flat facing surfaces, a member arranged and proportioned to slide between themand to engage their flat facing surfaces, and a member secured to the other member so as to be movable therewith arranged and proportioned for sliding in the splits of the first pair of contacts, the two members forming a unit, and means for moving said unit relative to the first pair of contacts so that the first member slides between the contacts of the pair and the second member slides in 'the splits of the contacts ofthe pair, one of said members being of contact materlal.

5. A switch comprising a pair of adjacent split contacts having flat facing surfaces, a member arranged and proportioned to slide between them and to engage their flat facing surfaces, and a member secured to the other member so as to hm movable therewith, arranged and proportioned for sliding in the splits of the first pair of contacts, the two members forming a. unit, and means for moving said unit relative to the first pair of contacts so that the first member slides between the contacts of the pair and the second member slides in the splits of the contacts of the pair, one of said members being of contact material, and one being of insulating material.

6. A switch comprising a pair of adjacent contacts having flat facing surfaces and edge" Sillfaces, a member arranged and proportionedto slide between them and to engage their fiat facing surfaces, and a member arranged and proportioned to engage their edge surfaces, the

two members forming a unit, and means for moving said unit relative to the pair, of contacts so that the first member slides between the cone tacts of the pair and the second member slides onthe edges ofthe contacts of the pair, one of said members being of contact material, and one being of insulating material. I

7; A switch comprisinga pairof adjacent contacts having flat facing surfaces and edge surfaces, a member arranged and-proportioned to slide be tween them and to engage their flat facing surfaces, and a member arranged and proportioned to engage their edge surfaces, the two members forming a unit, and means for moving said unit relative to the pair of contacts so that the first member slides between the contacts of the pair and the second member slides on the edges of the contacts of the pair.

8. A switch comprising a pair of adjacent contacts having flat facing surfaces and edge surfaces, a member arranged and proportioned to slide between them and to engage their flat facing surfaces, and a member arranged, and proportioned to engage their edge surfaces, the two members forming a unit, and means for moving said unit relative to the pair of contacts so that the first member slldes'between the contacts of the pair and the second member slides on the edges of the contacts or the pair, the contacts being split so that the edges of the splits are the edge surfaces of the contacts'which are engaged by the second named member. v 1 e. A switch comprising a. pair of adjacent contacts havingflat facing sin-faces and edge surfaces, a member arranged and proportioned to slide btween them and to engage their flat facing surfaces, and a member arranged and proportimed to engage their edge surfaces, the two members forming a unit, and for moving said unit relative to the pair of contacts so that the first member slides between the contacts of edges of the contacts of the pair, the contacts being split so that the edges of the splits are the edge surfaces of the-contacts which are engaged by the second named member, the latter being of contact material.

10. A switch comprising a pair of adjacent contacts having flat facing surfaces and edge surfaces, a member arranged and proportioned to slide between them and to engage their flat facing surfaces, and a member arranged and propor= tioned to engage their edge surfaces, the, two

the pair and the second member slides on the members forming a unit, and means for moving said unit relative to the pair of contacts so that the first member slides between the contacts 01 the pair and the second member slides on the edges 01 the contacts of the pair, the contacts being split so that the edges of the splits are the edge surfaces of the contacts which are engaged by the second named member, both members being of contact material.

WILLIAM H. FRANK. LAWRENCE E. FISHER. 

